Photo (l to r): Jayne Wilhelm, Director of Community Relations and Development; Katie Smith, BVU Director of Strategic Partnerships; Brook Mikkelsen, Director of Human Resources; and Shannon Mahannah, Chief Executive Officer.
Employees of Opportunity Living in Carroll, Lake City and Rockwell City and their families will now have more educational benefits through a partnership with Buena Vista University (BVU). Opportunity Living employees, spouses/domestic partners and their children may receive grant funding to lower the overall cost of education while enrolled in classes at BVU’s Storm Lake campus as well as receive a decrease in the cost per credit hour for those enrolled in online/hybrid undergraduate programs or BVU’s online organizational leadership graduate program. CEO of Opportunity Living, Shannon Mahannah—who also happens to be a BVU graduate—says they are excited to be able to expand the benefits offered to their employees through this strategic partnership. “To see staff members and their families receive a savings while continuing their education is rewarding,” she says. “To see how a BVU education can help create stronger communities and organizations like Opportunity Living is transforming.” This, Mahannah adds, is another step in growing their organization and the region they serve through education. Opportunity Living assists more than 80 clients in 13 homes throughout Carroll, Lake City and Rockwell City.
